There is no single number that fits every community. A sidewalk under live oaks with sprinklers hitting it every morning needs attention far more often than a sunny parking lot. What a board can do is set a starting rhythm for each surface, then adjust it once a season or two shows where growth comes back first.
This guide covers the starting points we suggest for Central Florida communities, the signs that a surface is due early, and how to plan the work so residents barely notice it.
Why Central Florida needs a schedule
Heat, humidity and summer afternoon storms give mold, mildew and algae ideal conditions for most of the year. Shade and irrigation make it worse: north-facing walls, breezeways, and any concrete that stays damp grow back fastest.
Growth that is left alone does not stay the same. It spreads, it darkens, and it takes more work to remove the longer it sits. On walkways it also turns slippery when wet. A schedule keeps each cleaning a maintenance visit rather than a restoration.
A starting schedule, surface by surface
These are starting points, not rules. Your property's shade, irrigation and foot traffic will move them.
- Roofs: about every two years. Soft washing only, never high pressure. See our roof soft washing page.
- Sidewalks, curbs and valley gutters: once a year, twice for shaded or heavily irrigated areas and main entrances.
- Building exteriors: every one to two years, sooner on north-facing and shaded walls.
- Breezeways and stairwells: every six to twelve months, more often where residents and deliveries use them constantly.
- Pool decks and amenity areas: at least once a year, and before the busiest months of use.
- Entry monuments and signage: with the sidewalks, since they set the first impression of the whole community.
Signs a surface is due early
- Green or black staining in joints, along the bottom of walls, or on the shaded side of a building.
- Dark streaks running down the roof, usually showing on north-facing slopes first.
- Orange or brown staining on sidewalks and walls near sprinklers. That is usually rust from irrigation water, and it needs a rust treatment, not just a wash.
- Walkways that feel slick after rain.
- Resident complaints, or an upcoming inspection, sale or annual meeting.
Plan around the calendar, not the complaint
The work goes most smoothly when the board decides the dates rather than the weather or a complaint.
- Pick the season deliberately. Many boards clean in late winter or spring, so the property looks its best going into summer and before the rainy season brings growth back. Summer work is fine too, but crews plan around afternoon storms.
- Bundle the surfaces. Cleaning sidewalks, curbs, entry monuments and the pool deck in one visit means one round of resident notices and one set of cones.
- Clean before you paint or seal. Paint and sealers need a clean surface to bond to, so cleaning belongs in the same project plan.
- Lock it into the budget. A multi-year service agreement turns pressure washing into a predictable line item instead of a surprise.
What the board should get from a contractor
A board signs off on the work, so it should get what it needs to do that with confidence:
- A written scope listing every surface and the method for each one.
- A certificate of insurance, with the association named as additional insured if your management company requires it. Our insurance and compliance page lists what we can send.
- A plan for residents: notice dates, which areas close when, and where cars need to move.
- Before-and-after photos when the job is done, ready for the next board packet.
How we handle community work
Green Earth Power Wash Orlando works with HOA and condo boards across Orlando and Central Florida. We bring our own water, use soft washing where pressure would cause damage and hot water where the surface can take it, and keep a foreman on site from the first truck to the last. See how we approach HOA and condo community cleaning, or request a free estimate and we will walk the property with you and put a schedule in writing.